


As Many Times As It Takes

by storeboughtisfine (oso_peanutbutter)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Disaster Gay Keith, Fafner AU, Female pronouns for Pidge, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post voltron, Pre-Slash, Red String of Fate AU, Season 6 Spoilers, deli au, proposal, slight angst, unbeta'd until proven guilty, will add tags as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-01 04:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15135404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oso_peanutbutter/pseuds/storeboughtisfine
Summary: “How many times are you gonna have to save me before this is over?” “As many times as it takes.”A collection of short(ish) stand alone one shots for Sheith Month.





	1. "Do you trust me?"

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time participating in sheithmonth and, well, sheith fic period im determined to finish even if i go over the allotted time limit so pls bear with me ^^

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 1 // Dynamics | **Trust**_  
>  _"Keith, do you trust me?"_
> 
> A small snapshot throughout the years

“ _Keith, do you trust me?”_

The amount of times Keith has heard those words come from Shiro can’t be counted on two hands but it was enough for them to mean something. He never had the skills growing up to form meaningful relationships with people his age given he always ends up picking fights with the ones that look at him funny. The whispers behind his back helped him achieve his loner status but it didn’t stop him from wanting—wanting someone there for him unconditionally.

When he met Shiro and started getting acquainted, he began to feel it wouldn’t last. He would see through him and see how broken he is and then decide he wants to have nothing to do with him. The thought gnaws at his brain when he gets called to the principal office shortly after getting into the Garrison. Some boy in one of his classes must have not liked his attitude and starting taunting him into a fight—it worked given it was Keith who threw the first punch but regardless of why he did, the teachers ddin’t take too kindly to it and sent them both off.

He sits on his chair nursing his bruised cheek as the principal speaks with Shiro about the incident. It's not getting in trouble with the teachers or the fight itself that continues to sting (his left cheek conceding), it’s him disappointing Shiro that hurts the most. He was the one to reach out to him in the first place, befriending despite the hesitancy, and even vouched for his place in the Garrison.

 _He must think I’m not worth his time anymore_ , Keith thinks bitterly. _Another notch on the wall then._

Shiro exits the office and stands in front of Keith. He doesn’t look up afraid of what he might find.

“Look I know I messed up. You should just send me back to the home already. This place isn’t for me.” Quick and precise like ripping off a stubborn band-aid. He might as well distance himself now before his already battered heart starts chipping.

“Keith.” Shiro says softly, “You can do this. I will never give up on you but more importantly, you can’t give up on yourself.”

He looks up, wide-eyed and vulnerable, unable to speak without his throat clogging up. He wasn’t expecting that—he wasn’t expecting that at all. He prepared for a hard lecture and a stern look with an escort back to the home not a second chance.

“Keith, do you trust me?”

He only nods.

“Then I want you to promise me to not to get in anymore fights, and I promise to have your back, thick and thin.”

Keith smiles softly and holds out his pinky, to which Shiro does the same linking their fingers firmly.

“Promise.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Keith, do you trust me?”

 _No, not in the slightest_ , he thinks but gives a curt nod anyways. Despite this being Shiro, Keith does not, in fact, trust him to keep the both of them from crashing into the nearest telephone poll and dying early deaths but he give him the benefit of the doubt in spite of it all. His grip on Shiro’s waist tightens as Shiro revs up the motorcycle he purchased on his eighteenth birthday years ago. The rumbling sound of the engine grows louder with each twist and Keith starts to wonder if Shiro is starting to have second thoughts about the whole thing when Shiro hits the accelerator and speeds onto the highway. Keith’s already death grip on his waists almost chokes Shiro as he wraps his arms tighter around him.

“Shiro, you son of a bitch.”

Shiro only chuckles as he continues to speed up on the highway towards the open desert.

 

* * *

 

When Shiro snapped, it snapped something within himself. He knows it shouldn’t have; he saw this coming for two years, the countless glimpses into both past and future provided him with enough knowledge and preparedness to know that that Shiro isn’t Shiro and yet it is and if he keeps thinking about it, he’s going to give himself a headache. He gives firm yet calm orders while his heart races in his chest. He makes his way to the black lion once he gives his final order making sure to keep his composure as to not alarm the team about his current predicament.

He chases Shiro through a wormhole and lands on a planet hosting a Galran facility. He knows what’s inside—a vague, sick feeling twists in his stomach as his mind races through the bits and pieces he saw in the quantum abyss. Following him inside, he tries to come up with a sensible plan to bring Shiro back and can’t seem to get further than “back to the Castle of Lions” when the lights turn on revealing Shiro and hundreds upon hundreds of cylinder tubes. Hundreds and hundreds of _Shiros_. It answers the question of the sick feeling—this was never Shiro to begin with, nothing but an imposer made to believe it was him. Keith swallows it down as he tries to recall the Shiro he’s always known.

His words ring out in his head, _“_ _Do you trust me?”_

Right now that’s hard to say. The Shiro in front of him isn’t him. It’s someone else dressed in his skin, and Keith has no idea how to fix it and bring _Shiro_ back. In spite of it all, he draws his blade when the clone draws his, holding him off in between pleas to get him back. He wants to believe there is still good in him, he _knows_ it and fights with everything in him to uphold that fact. The hurtful words spewn at him mean nothing as he’s heard them before and hundred times more in nightmares and restless nights in a small cave, and he keeps fighting.

Keith eventually finds himself pinned to the ground, struggling to keep Shiro from slicing his head off. He pleads with him, his voice breaks saying, “I love you,” and for a split second he was _Shiro_ again before whatever controlling him regains it slightly for his words hold less bite than before. He screams as he gains some leverage to chop his arm off, the one that started all this, with his cheek burning from the purple energy that served as that Shiro’s sword.

The surrounding facility continues to fall apart at an alarming rate and before Keith could grab Shiro, the strip they are on collapses with the rest of the place. He quickly locks his hand around Shiro’s wrist as he holds them both up with his blade wedged on the debris. The practical thing to do would be to let go of Shiro to save himself, but Keith has never been practical when it came to Shiro. He would sacrifice his life for this man and right now, it is no exception. The piece of debris gives leaving his blade slicing at empty air.

Keith takes one look at Shiro, and he begins to fall.

 

* * *

 

When Shiro wakes up for a second time, he’s lying on a bench normally reserved for deployed officers readying for a drop. He groggily sits himself up, or at least tries to. He looks at the empty space where his right arm used to be and quickly deduces he must’ve lost it in a fight. His memory is hazy and can’t seem to make out the details that lead to how he got here.

He figures he should take in his surroundings first and answer his own questions later. From the interior and control panel up ahead, he sees on the black lion. He sighs in relief that he’s somewhere remotely safe rather than back on a Galran base. He spots Keith at the pilot seat manning the controls—a Galran soldier and a wolf stand beside him.

“Keith.” His voice is raspy but Keith seems to heard it clear enough as he rushes out of his chair—the Galran soldier quickly regains control of the lion as to make sure they don’t steer off course—and makes his way to Shiro’s side.

“Shiro, you’re awake.” He settles next to him while checking to make sure nothing’s wrong.

“W-Where—How--”

“Shiro, do you trust me?”

Shiro is taken back by his question—he can only nod.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. It’s a long story, but you’re safe and alive.” Keith’s eyes have a certain shine to them as he tells him that but Shiro doesn’t comment on it. His attention returns to the two figures in the cockpit.

Keith figures what he’s thinking and says, “That’s Kroila. Don’t worry, she’s a member of the Blade of Mamora. Also...” He pauses slightly before adding, “She’s also my mom.”

Shiro’s eyes widen and wants to press further but Keith beats him to it, “That’s also a long story, but I promise I’ll tell you everything once you’ve rested up more.”

At this point, Shiro’s wondering just how much he’s missed being in the black lion given the huge gaps in his memory.

He tells Keith he’d like to rest more, and Keith leaves him be. He kisses his forehead and makes his way back to the cockpit relieving his mom of pilot duty.

Shiro goes back to sleep and briefly wonders how he got so lucky.


	2. headaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 2 // Training | **Headaches**_
> 
>  
> 
> Shiro starts having headaches not too long after being rescued. Keith just wished he noticed sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its only the third day and im already behind whoops

They started off small—little pricks behind his temporal lobe that poked at him whenever he stared at something for periods at a time. He pinches the bridge of his nose, makes a note to himself to stop looking at the monitor for long periods of time, and calls it a day. He excuses himself from the team citing a lack of sleep and makes his way to his room. The pricking stops when he gets to his room but decides to not take any chance and turns in for the night. He hopes it’ll go away in the morning.

 

 

(It doesn’t)

 

 

For the next few weeks, the pricking morphs into a squeezing—like someone is pressing too hard against the sides of his head and no matter how much massaging he does, it doesn’t want to go away. He figures he can get away with ignoring it—he finds that if he makes himself busy, the squeezing is almost non-existent.

It works for a while. He keeps himself at ease knowing that if he keeps from thinking about it, it’ll stay away. He helps Pidge out with upgrading whatever in the Castle needs upgrading; he's Hunk's taste-tester when he wants to try something new; he gives Lance tips to help improve his sharpshooting skills, having dabbled in a little himself. Most of the time, he's in the training room working himself to a sweat with the weird headaches at the back of his mind.

 

 

(He isn’t even sure they're __that_ _ )

 

 

Keith notices—he always does. He’s known Shiro long enough to notice when he’s not feeling well, if at all, and today seems to be no exception. They had just gotten back from a mission involving the coalition with a small planet having some trouble fending off some hostile forces. The mission went smoothly; smooth enough that Shiro didn’t feel any pressure in his head, and Keith feels he can relax and not have to worry so much. It’s not until they start making their way back to the control room that Shiro starts feeling weird. It starts off small—a light prick at the base of his temple—which quickly escalates to a sheering pressure on the sides of his skull. Shiro groans, holding his head in his hands and thinking something is trying to squeeze his brain to mush. The rest of the team is too far away to notice anything wrong but Keith sees this instantly rushing towards him in a panic.

“Shiro!”

He groans louder, sinking to his knees with his head still in his hands, wishing the pain would just go away. Keith kneels beside him, hands on his back not entirely sure what to do.

“Shiro, Shiro what’s wrong?”

He opens his mouth to speak but finds speaking to be out of the question. They both stay like that until Shiro calms down, breathing heavily from the wave of intense pain he just endured. Keith keeps him to his feet.

“What was that?”

Shiro slowly removes his hand from his head and stares at it dazed.

“I...I’m not sure.”

“We should get you to Allura. She can help figure out what’s wrong.”

“Thanks, Keith. I appreciate it but I think I just need some rest.”

Despite Shiro insisting he doesn’t need the help, Keith helps him to his room. Shiro changes out of his armor and into more comfortable clothes while Keith stands there not sure what he should do.

“Do you need anything?” Keith asks, not entirely wanting to leave him alone in case he has another episode.

“No, I’m good.” Shiro sits at the edge of the bed and wipes a hand across his face. The episode from earlier drained him sufficiently and all he wants to do is rest.

“Are you sure?”

“Why do you keep asking me that? I said I was fine.”

“Because this hasn’t happened before and I just don’t want anything else to happen. I’m worried about you.” He murmurs the last part under his breath thinking Shiro couldn’t hear.

“Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise.”

Keith’s mouth turns up a little before he exits the room. As he walks to the control, he tries recounting any similar incidents happening in the past but turns up empty. He just hopes they don't happen again.

 

 

(When Shiro goes rogue, he remembers those headaches. They only started happening after he rescued Shiro from the cruiser he spotted during his search.

His blood runs cold.)


	3. turkey sandwiches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 3 // **Sandwiches** | Drinking _
> 
>  
> 
> Ever since the local deli hired the hot, new employee, Keith’s life has now consisted of awkward stares and turkey sandwiches. Problem is Keith hates turkey sandwiches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got busy during the fourth of july and i went to ax on the 5th and now im super behind whoops ill try to catch up as best i can but ill just chug along for the ride and see where it takes me enjoy~

“Here you go, sir, one turkey sandwich.”

Keith grabs his ready-made sandwich doing his best to hide his disdain. He mumbles his thanks under his breath and leaves the deli as quickly as possible. As soon as he’s sure he’s out of earshot, he groans and curses at himself for failing again. This marked the thirty-seventh time he failed to talk to the new employee and instead ordered a turkey sandwich. He’s still not even sure why he keeps ordering them—he hates turkey sandwiches.

His mind wanders back to a few months ago to when this never-ending hell started—the deli was short on staff and hired a couple part-timers to keep the place running. Enter the source of Keith’s never-ending nightmare: the hot, body-of-a-god, nicest man on earth new employee whose smile pinned itself right into Keith’s heart and hasn’t left since. His hair—pitch black with a single white streak his bangs making him seem older than he was. His eyes a smoky, dark gray that seemed to sparkle in the florescent lighting. The moment he saw those eyes, his heart fluttered, and his stomach was filled with butterflies much like described in cliched romance novels.

Keith has a crush, and he’s crushing hard.

He entered the deli in hopes of sparking a conversation but as soon as the new employee asked him, “Hi, what can I get for you today?” his brain shuts down without warning leaving him unable to form complete full sentences.

He stammers for a couple seconds eyes wandering to the menu hoping he can get more than a few syllables out. His eyes land on turkey sandwich and blurts out, “A turkey sandwich.”

“Okay, coming right up.”

When his brain catches up to his mouth, he blanches in horror at his mistake. _A turkey sandwich. Why the hell did I say I want a turkey sandwich. That was the worst possible choice—_

“Here you go. Enjoy your sandwich.”

The hot employee snaps Keith out of his stupor handing him his sandwich. He reluctantly takes it, pays, and leaves without another word.

Week after week, Keith went back to the deli hoping this time he actually talks to him only to order a turkey sandwich instead. He then figures weekly won’t work and starts going every few days hoping it’ll help his chances which end up backfiring in his face. It gets to the point where he starts going every day during lunch time so it’ll give him a valid excuse and not seem like a stalker. (The first time he tried, he comes out of the deli without having said a word and a familiar white packaging tucked into his bag. Defeat is starting to taste like turkey).

Which in turn brings him to his current predicament—the turkey sandwich still in his hands. He looks at it, sighs in defeat, and thinks to himself, _Oh well, at least Lance likes them._

 

* * *

 

“Dude, you know I appreciate it every time you bring them, but seriously, you have a problem.”

“It’s not like I _want_ to buy them.”

Keith throws his hands in the air to add emphasis to the fact that his sandwich ‘problem’ is completely out of his control. Lance gives him a look from across the table while Pidge adjusts her glasses with the same look. He’s starting to feel sitting with them today was a mistake.

“How much have you spent on turkey sandwiches so far?”

“Seven dollars.”

“Seven dollars?! For a sandwich?!”

“Plus tax.”

“You’ve spent seven dollars plus tax on turkey sandwiches you won’t even eat?”

“That’s not true. You’re eating them, aren’t you.”

“Of course I am. I’m not letting them go to waste because you can’t seem to get your head out of your ass and talk to a damn employee. And that’s not even the point. The point is this has been going for---”

“This is the thirty-seventh time.”

“Thirty-seventh?! Sweet Jesus. Should I hook you up with the producers of _My Strange Addiction_?”

“Lance, this is serious.”

“I _am_ being serious! You’ve spent—Pidge help me out with the math here.”

“Let’s see—one turkey sandwich is seven dollars plus tax is $7.44. Multiply that by thirty-seven and that gives you...$275.28.”

At that, Lance drops the remainder of the sandwich onto the table and stares at Pidge.

“No way, that can’t be true.”

“It is. Want to double check?”

“No, no. I believe you. It’s just—” He turns to Keith, places his hands on his shoulders, and says calmly, “Keith, I shouldn’t have to do this but you leave me no choice. I’m taking away your sandwich privileges.”

“Wha—Sandwich privileges?”

“Yes. Keith Kogane, I hereby ban you from stepping foot inside that deli or else.”

“Or else?”

“Or else I’ll give that employee your number myself.”

Keith’s face turns a sickly shade of white. Yup, a big mistake.

“No—don’t—argh, fine I’ll stop going.” He crosses his arms in a huff ending the conversation. He’s not angry at Lance as much as he’s angry with himself for letting it go this far. He makes a promise with both himself and his friends that the next time he goes to the deli, it won’t be for a turkey sandwich.

 

* * *

 

Keith stares up at the deli’s sign and pins the blame on habit for why he’s standing in front of it the following day. Lance will kill him if he buys another sandwich so he sucks in his breath and walks in. The familiar sound of the bell overhead alerts the hot employee there’s a customer and he turns to greet accordingly.

“Welcome! The usual?” He smiles as he asks seemingly having Keith’s order memorized.

Keith’s heart skips but he pushes it aside. He’s a man on a mission and he won’t be swayed by that gorgeous smile of his.

“N-No, not today.”

The employee looks taken back but recovers quickly. He lightly chuckles and asks, “Well then, that’s a first. What will it be?”

“E-Egg salad.”

“Coming right up.”

As he makes the sandwich, he ends up striking a conversation with Keith.

“Wanted to spice things up a little?”

Caught off guard, Keith blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, “I actually hate turkey sandwiches.”

Hot employee stops what he’s doing and stares at him in disbelief, “Seriously?”

Keith nods.

“You always ordered one so I assumed you liked them.” Hot employee says as he continues making the sandwich. “How come you kept ordering them?”

“Because you’re really hot and wanted to ask for your number but I panicked and just ordered the first thing I saw.”

_Oh._

_Shit._

Blood rushes to Keith’s face fast enough to make him dizzy. He blew it—threw a bomb and it blew up in his face fantastically.

“I-I mean you’re not—actually yes you are but that had nothing—you see I was really—you know what I’m just going to go bury myself in my backyard. Good bye.”

He turns on his heel to leave but Hot employee stops him. “Wait.”

Keith faces him but keeps his head down in shame. He really doesn’t want to look up but does anyways when he hears scribbling on paper. Hot employee hands him the sandwich and says, “On the house.” He winks as Keith takes it and turns to face the counter behind him wiping it down.

Keith leaves as soon as he gets the chance, and once he’s outside he takes one look at the packaging.

 

_Call me_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX_

_Shiro ♡_

 

He places the sandwich carefully in his bag, at least Lance can’t get on his case anymore, and calls his one a success.


	4. countdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 4 // Free Day_
> 
>  
> 
> Piloting a Fafner for long periods of time can increase a pilot’s risk to assimilation. Shiro never took that heart—there was a war to be fought. Keith wished he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shows up twenty days late with chapter 4 and starbucks* so i fell behind.....greatly i had a hard time figuring what i wanted to do for this day and originally going do a "post season talk back on earth" thing but then sdcc happened and said "fuck it" and deleted the draft (it was like twenty words so no real loss) then i decided to do a fafner au cause i love fafner and actually had a sold(ish) foundation for what i wanted so i wrote that instead
> 
> heres a brief rundown about what the show is about so you wont be too confused about whats going on: its a mecha anime about golden beings called festum coming to earth and try to communicate with humanity (horribly) as their attempts (mind reading) lead to a phenomenon called assimilation (which turns anyone affected into a pile of green crystals or if youre one of the lucky ones a comatose vegetable). as a result most of humanity is wiped out and whats left of japan (tatsumiya island) is hidden away from the rest of the world hoping to establish peace within their own grounds. when the festum do find them, the islands main line of defense are their fafners which allow pilots to fight the festum without worrying about their mind reading abilites affecting the pilots. however the fafner is a double edge sword cause constant piloting causes a change in one chromosomes which can trigger assimilation (which is why the pilots are so young they start at 14 and usually retire by 19/20 if theyre lucky. older pilots are extremely rare and are more likely to be assimilated the longer they pilot)
> 
> okay that should be enough info w/o giving _too_ much away please check out the show if it interests you itll really good ~~and definitely worth the pain~~ and i apologize for the length explanation (tho i may or may not expand on this au ;; )
> 
> here's what a [festum](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/aliens/images/8/8f/Festum_%28Fafner_in_the_Azure%29.jpeg/revision/latest?cb=20180501000533) looks like

“So, what is it you wanted to talk about?”

They’re both sitting on the beach late at night hoping to catch a breather from the constant Festum attacks on the island. Keith’s glad he was able to get a moment together with Shiro other than in battle or the brief moments in the examination room afterwards. Ever since the last encounter with the Festum, Shiro had started acting strange. After being examined and given his usual counter-assimilation dosage, he would hurry off citing some excuse that Keith has heard dozens of times before. Usually he would stay and check in with the other pilots but not that time. He found it weird but brushed it off, he must have been tired.

(Keith later found Shiro in a remote corner holding his fist to his chest. The tiny dustings of green crystals brushed off haphazardly making his blood run cold.)

Shiro takes a deep breath not sure how to approach the subject. He’s known for a while now that the assimilation phenomenon was making a turn for the worst. Piloting well into his twenties was his choice despite the constant warnings and one he’s paying for big. He pushed his luck for far too long and now he’s out of time. He wishes he had more of it.

“I’m dying, Keith.”

The words fall heavy from his lips. He can’t take them back now, and Keith doesn’t want him to even if a part of him deep down wishes he could. Keith’s fists tighten at his sides and grits his teeth to keep himself together. He still wants to believe he still has time before the worst of it kicks in but knowing Shiro, it might already be passed that point. Shiro’s the type of person to pilot until the bitter end. Keith’s just not sure if he can handle opening his cockpit to a pile of green crystals.

“There’s got to be a way to fix this. Pidge and Hunk—aren’t they finding a cure right now? I’m sure they’ll find one in time and you’ll be fine. You just need to—”

“Keith, you saw my synergetic code. This was my fate from the beginning. I knew what I was getting myself into.”

He looks at Shiro in disbelief. He knew the consequences of getting involved—of what happens to pilots who stay too long. Shiro’s the oldest one out of all of them—at twenty-five, he should’ve retired years ago but his persistence to see this to the end kept him on the front lines. Keith’s surprised he hadn’t built up an immunity to the counter-assimilation medicine. But still—

“How can you just accept this? Don’t you want to see the end to this war? Don’t you want to live—”

“Keith, I—”

“I can’t lose you.” It comes out thickly from trying to keep himself together. He finds it unfair. He finds this entire situation to be unfair. He hates whoever out there that decided that in order to fight this war, he had to lose Shiro. He’s paid too many prices in this war and this is one he won’t pay.

Shiro wraps his arms around Keith bringing him close. He clings to him, his presence anchors him down. He’s angry at the world for putting them all through this. For putting _Shiro_ through this.

“Keith.” His voice a little above a whisper, calm and soothing, “I know this war isn’t fair and I can’t promise that it’ll get better. But I can promise this.”

He leans back and places his forehead on his gently.

“I will make it out of this alive.”

Keith brings his lips to Shiro’s praying to any gods still with them to help him keep his promise. Because he can’t help but feel it’s not a one man job.


	5. red is the color that ties us together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 5 // **Guiding Light** | Galaxies_
> 
> For all of Keith's life, he's been tied to the one person who'll love him. He just hopes it's true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> at this point ill consider it a personal victory if i finish by aug 10

Keith isn’t sure why he has a red string attached to his finger. He’s heard of the legend—of a string that connects people to the one that compliments them, makes them whole. He never understood that part—he’s a kid stuck in a home with cracks that match the plaster and an attitude no one knows how to deal with. His fiery spirit doing more scaring than inspiring.

The people at the home tell him there’s someone out there waiting for him, he just needs to be patient.

‘ _Follow the string, and it’ll lead you to them.’_

He did that once—walk in the direction the string was taking him. He walked and walked and walked but got nowhere except the vastness of an empty desert and a bitter taste in his mouth. He’s taken home in a cruiser and doesn’t try again.

 

(He tried cutting it off once—grabbed the scissors and tried sawing it off. All that did was dull the blades. He hates fate for playing with him. He knows just as much as anyone that there’s no such thing as a soulmate.)

 

He finds its easier to just ignore it, pretends it doesn’t exist. He looks away from his right hand at the sight of red not wanting to be reminded of what won’t happen. He shuts his eyes at the red lines that connect strangers to futures he won’t possibly reach. He tells himself it’s easier this way—keep his eyes shut and he won’t get hurt.

 

(If he had listened earlier to the cries the red was giving him, he would have found him sooner. Maybe, it would have turned out easier.)

 

* * *

 

 

When Takashi Shirogane had shown up in the middle of tenth grade astronomy with a thread on his finger ending on Keith’s, it was the one time in his life that he felt he had a chance at finding someone who would understand him—who could love him. The small thought twists and spirals as they usually do— _what if he’s disappointed? What if he was hoping it was someone else other than him?_ W _hat if they_ _do become acquainted but_ _don’t connect? What if later he finds he isn’t worth the trouble? What if what if what if—_

“Kogane.”

Keith snaps out of his head and finds his teacher, his fellow classmates and Shirogane staring at him.

“Welcome back to planet Earth, space cadet. Find anything interesting up in space?” This earns a laugh from the rest of the class. His face flushes red in embarrassment as he murmurs ‘no ma’am’ and keeps his head down for the rest of class. When it finally ends, he grabs his bag and darts for the door but a strong hand holds him back.

“Wait.”

He jerks back and is prepared to tell whoever stopped him off but the words get stuck in his throat when he finds it’s Shirogane.

“Is there something you want?” His words short and clipped. The sooner he gets this over with the better. He looks taken back by Keith’s tone judging by his chest twitching back and the hand on his shoulder removed but quickly recovers.

“N-no, nothing in particular. I was just wondering if you were interested in the Garrison’s program. You seemed interested.”

Keith cocks his head slightly not sure how him spacing out qualified as “interested.”

“I wasn’t paying attention. What makes you think I’m ‘interested?’”

“You...you have a point there.” He rubs the back of his head in embarrassment and chuckles nervously. “In that case, want me to give you a recap? If you’re still not interested, then that completely fi—”

“Sure, why not.”

Shirogane gives him a wide-eye look not expecting a fast answer.

“Are you sure?”

Keith shrugs. “You’re going out of your way to give me a refresher course. The least I can do is hear you out...at least that’s what people tell me.”

Shiro chuckles. “Okay then. Oh by the way, my name’s Takashi Shirogane but you can just call me ‘Shiro.’ What’s yours?”

“Keith. Just Keith.”

“Nice meeting you, Keith. Now where would you like to start?”

“The beginning’s fine but I have one question: are you always this twitchy?”

 

* * *

 

 

Keith surprised himself when he got into the Garrison. Despite pushing himself to meet every guideline set by the academy to ensure his spot, he still felt it wouldn’t be enough. The Garrison might think he’s good enough now but eventually they’ll see right through him and dismiss him just like everyone else had.

Shiro disagrees entirely. He always does, and it’s something Keith still hasn’t grown accustom to despite knowing each other for a while now. It’s a constant that soothes him.

“The Garrison doesn’t just choose anyone, Keith, they choose the best.”

“Yeah, but what if I can’t do it? What if I can’t meet their standards? They’ll get sick of me—”

“Keith.” The way Shiro says his name shuts him up—it’s soft and gentle and its makes Keith not want to argue anymore.

“Listen to me, Keith. You worked hard to get in, and I know you’ll work hard once you’re there. If you ever feel like your struggling or need help—hell, if you just want to hang out, I’ll be there for you. I won’t give up on you, Keith.”

Keith nods and feels his shoulders are just a bit lighter. The string twitches in response.

 

* * *

 

For weeks on end, the words ‘ _I’m going to Kerberos_ ’ haunt him day and night. The casualness of it, like he’s going across country or to Paris not the other side of the galaxy, rings in his ears as he tries to make sense of the words and the feelings he inevitably tied to them. He looks at the string attached to his finger hoping for answers but it has never been the helpful kind. He sighs and looks at the sky praying to some god out there it’ll turn out okay.

 

(Kerberos launches and his string never felt heavier.)

 

(He doesn’t understand why all the televisions within sight of him keep flashing _‘pilot error.’_ It doesn’t make sense. The string does little to clarify. He throws a punch and gets expelled.)

 

He’s out into the city getting supplies. He’s stopped looking at his finger but finds himself doing it anyways this time hoping it’ll prove the world wrong. The red string is floating up into the sky staying tethered to his finger like a balloon getting farther and farther away from him as he knows is Shiro living out his dream. It grounds him, looking up at his air born tether knowing Shiro is only a string away despite being on Pluto’s moon.

One day, he looks up at his string and notices a deep sag down the middle like it had been cut. His heart freezes as he frantically tugs at it reeling it in hoping it’ll bring him home. He pulls and pulls and pulls but the string keeps going up into space.

He keeps going for hours and the string won’t stop. His arms grow tired from trying to reel in a mythical string that told him he won’t be alone his whole life. He eventually gives up and slumps to the floor.

He sits in a pile of red thread and cries.

 

* * *

 

 

The ship crashing onto desert land caught Keith by surprise. The string on his finger tugs at him, the familiar weight it used to carry long ago comes back like an old friend saying, _‘Go.’_ He ignores it and continues to stare at the path the ship charted wondering if he was seeing things until the string tugs harder, straightening out towards the open desert.

He sees the string pointing in the same direction, guiding him. He walks and walks following the string closer and closer to something. Something important. He doesn’t get his hopes up but the back of his mind teases the answer. He swallows it down and keeps walking. He finds the tent the Garrison set up blocking whatever it is that landed off from peeping eyes. His gut tells him what to do and he does.

After fighting off the personnel, he darts to the figure strapped to the table where the string leads him to. He runs over and finds exactly what the string told him he would.

‘ _Shiro.’_


	6. "Marry me"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Day 6 // Pre-Kerberos | **Post-Voltron**_
> 
> _"Marry me."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short and sweet this time

“Marry me.”

They’re both lying next to each other staring in shock as the words slip from Shiro’s mouth. He hadn’t planned on asking this way—he had a whole plan set up long enough ago to carbon date it—but given the moment, he wouldn’t change a thing. Their dinner reservation for next Friday is tossed out of Shiro’s mind as he reaches over and grabs the ring box from his dresser drawer. He sits up and faces Keith opening it up to reveal a simple silver band with a few small rubies.

“I had actually already planned on proposing next week—had a dinner reservation and everything—but it just felt right to ask now.” He looks at Keith as he asks again, “Keith, will you marry me?”

Keith throws his arms around onto his now-fiance and kisses him. He lets up long enough to say ‘yes’ and to let Shiro slide the ring onto his finger in a perfect fit. Keith’s hands cradle his face, thumbs lightly caressing his cheeks as he brings his lips back onto his.

**Author's Note:**

> *crosses fingers* god i hope i can finish on time
> 
> feel free to follow me on either [twitter](http://twitter.com/stepping_stein) or [tumblr](http://minashiro-kazuki-kun.tumblr.com)


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